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To Catch a Spy
by Mark O'Neill

Published: 2025-04-01T00:0
Paperback : 368 pages
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"A worthy sequel to the classic." -- Harlan Coben

Estate approved sequel to the novel To Catch a Thief by David Dodge and 1955 Academy Award-winning film by Alfred Hitchcock

It's been a year since John Robie, notorious Riviera jewel thief, proved his innocence by catching a ...

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Introduction

"A worthy sequel to the classic." -- Harlan Coben

Estate approved sequel to the novel To Catch a Thief by David Dodge and 1955 Academy Award-winning film by Alfred Hitchcock

It's been a year since John Robie, notorious Riviera jewel thief, proved his innocence by catching a copycat burglar. And it's been a year since John has seen Francie Stevens, the adventurous socialite who not only saw through his disguise, but helped him catch the copycat. Now Francie is returning to the Riviera for its first-ever Fashion Week as a model for a top French designer, and John plans on rekindling their romance. But there's a problem. While helping a friend, John chases down a mysterious courier, whose ruthless associates now want John dead. To make matters worse, when Francie arrives, she has a boyfriend in tow, and tells John that she wants nothing to do with him.

John has to figure out why he's a hunted man, and why Francie is acting suspiciously. Digging deeper, he discovers a spy ring with evil intent. As John works unofficially to gather evidence, a question begins to haunt him?could Francie Stevens be a spy? With his enemies closing in, John turns to his cat burglar skills to try to save his life and expose the traitors. To survive, he has to catch the spies before they catch?and kill?a retired thief!

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Excerpt

CHAPTER 25 EXCERPT: TO CATCH A SPY

John saw an opening in the flow of people. He slid in, moved with the crowd, and stepped out next to Marcel Julien.

Marcel was startled but didn’t look over. “Well, well,” he said, in his deep, timbered voice. “Look who it is. John Robie, legendary cat burglar and now eavesdropper.”
“So you spoke with Hugo.”

“I did,” said Marcel, keeping his eyes forward. “How did you hear us, by the way?”
John dismissed his question. “Another time, perhaps. How are your men, the ones from the other night?”

“Coming around,” said Marcel. “Had you given them what they wanted...”

“What they wanted was some missing money. And me dead.”

Marcel glanced at John, then went back to looking forward. “No theatrics. Not here.”
“We’re just having a conversation,” said John. “About you trying to have me killed.”
“Keep your voice down,” said Marcel. He looked around, calmed himself, then said, “You could end this now. Just give it back.”

“It’s not that easy,” said John.

“Why is that?”

John turned up his hands. “You’re not one to forgive and forget,” he said. “That’s not your style. People need to pay. Like me, for instance, and that man on the hotel's roof. He knew what was coming.” ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

From the author:

1. A couple of times, John and Francie see the exact same thing, but see it differently. What does this say about each character? Is there someone in your life who sees the same things differently from how you see them? If so, what?

2. The theme of the book is selflessness, and John’s character development moves him from being selfish to selfless. At first, John rationalizes his selfish behavior; is that a normal response? For most of the book, John’s selfishness is invisible to him. Is that a scenario you have experienced?

3. The portrayal of women is interesting in To Catch a Spy. What are the main differences in women from the 1950s compared to today?

4. The author carried forward elements from the original story (book and film) into To Catch a Spy. Have you recognized any?

5. What are your key takeaways from the book? Did the plot twists and suspense in "To Catch a Spy" keep you engaged? Were there any reveals that genuinely surprised you?

6. Imagine that To Catch a Spy was made into a film using today’s actors. Who should play Francie Stevens and John Robie? Who would you cast as other characters such as Vittoria, Luca, Lepic, Danielle, Paul, or Mother?

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